Hartford—The battle for the potentially decisive women’s vote in the U.S. Senate race intensified today as three female senators rallied for Democrat Chris Murphy, while Republican Linda McMahon countered with ads accusing Murphy of hypocrisy on pay equity and contraception.

Under a gray sky that eventually produced a light rain, Murphy stood in Bushnell Park with U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and other women in an effort to neutralize gains McMahon has made among women since her first race in 2010.

“As you know in this election, a lot is about the gender gap,” said Mikulski, the longest-serving woman in Congress. “But we the women of the Senate say it’s not about the gender gap. We have a gender gap, because the Republicans have an agenda gap.”

The rally was intended as a show of unity for Murphy. In addition to the three senators, he was supported on stage by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro of New Haven and a national leader of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards. Off-stage stood the state’s first lady, Cathy Malloy, and Susan Bysiewicz, whom Murphy defeated in the Democratic primary.